Hundreds of AmeriCorps Members Serve in Williamsport

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- Even though spring is still a week away, a nonprofit group tackled a gardening project in Lycoming County. It was just one of several projects completed Tuesday by members of AmeriCorps.

Normally Alexandra Lennon works with the nonprofit "Up 2 Us Sports" in Philadelphia. Thanks to PennSERVE AmeriCorps, a nonprofit dedicated to serving others, she's spent this day helping to bring a mural in Williamsport to life.

"I am not a painter at all, so you can tell which paint I did on the wall," said Lennon.

Once a year, hundreds of helping hands come together for a day of appreciation, learning, and service. This year, for the first time, about 600 Pennsylvania AmeriCorps members from across the state spent that day in the Williamsport area.

"I have a passion to give back, and it's a really cool opportunity to work alongside people that I've never met before, that I probably would never engage with if it wasn't for AmeriCorps," said Lennon.

Hundreds of AmeriCorps members are spread out throughout the Williamsport area volunteering at local nonprofits to celebrate the "Day of A."

"Here at the RiverWalk Center of Healthy Aging, we have about 30 members who are helping to plant and develop gardens," said Rachelle Abbott, the chief operations officer at STEP.

Liborio Hansford made the trip from Clarion County to help at the center for active seniors in South Williamsport.

"We're where we're at. Sometimes it feels like we're on an island and then when we come here, we realize that we're with others, and it encourages us,” said Hansford.

"When we found out at that this was the day that we could get help, we jumped on it. We were so excited,” said Ann Bering.

Bering helped start a gardening group at the RiverWalk Center last year. Thanks to the extra help from AmeriCorps members, her club will now have a few new raised flower beds.

"This is going to be fabulous," said Bering.

Bering hopes to start planting flowers and vegetables in the new beds as soon as the weather gets little warmer.